msg
Updated: January 21, 2005
Sends a message to a user.
Syntax
Msg{UserName | SessionName | SessionID
| @FileName | *} [/server:ServerName]
[/time:Seconds] [/v] [/w] [Message]
Parameters
UserName
The name of the user you want to receive the
message.
SessionName
The name of the session you want to receive the
message.
SessionID
The numeric ID of the session whose user you want to
receive a message.
@FileName
Identifies a file containing a list of user names,
session names, and session IDs that you want to
receive the message.
*
Sends the message to all user names on the system.
/server:ServerName
Specifies the terminal server whose session or user
you want to receive the message. If unspecified,
/server uses the server to which you are
currently logged on.
/time:Seconds
Specifies the amount of time the message you sent is
displayed on the user's screen. Once the time limit
is reached, the message disappears. If no time limit
is set, the message remains on the user's screen
until the user sees the message and clicks OK.
/v
Displays information about the actions being
performed.
/w
Waits for an acknowledgement from the user that the
message has been received. Use this parameter with
/time:Seconds to avoid a possible long
delay if the user does not immediately respond.
Using this parameter with /v is also helpful.
Message
The text of the message you want to send. If no
message is typed, you are prompted for it or
standard input (that is, stdin) is read for the
message. To send a message that is contained in a
file, type the less than (<) symbol followed by the
file name.
/?
Displays help at the command prompt.
Remarks
- If you do not specify a name for the user or session, msg displays an error message. When specifying the name of a session, it must be an active one.
- The user must have send message access permission to send a message.
Examples
To send the message entitled "Let's meet at 1PM today" to all
sessions for user MIKES, type:
msg MIKES Let's meet at 1PM today
To send the same message to session MODEM02, type:
msg modem02 Let's meet at 1PM today
To send the message to session 12, type:
msg 12 Let's meet at 1PM today
To send the message to all sessions contained in the file USERLIST, type:
msg @userlist Let's meet at 1PM today
To send the message to all users who are logged on, type:
msg * Let's meet at 1PM today
To send the message to all users, with an acknowledgment time-out (for example, 10 seconds), type:
msg * /TIME:10 Let's meet at 1PM today
Formatting legend
| Format | Meaning |
| Italic | Information that the user must supply |
| Bold | Elements that the user must type exactly as shown |
| Ellipsis (...) | Parameter that can be repeated several times in a command line |
| Between brackets ([]) | Optional items |
| Between braces ({}); choices separated by pipe (|). Example: {even|odd} | Set of choices from which the user must choose only one |
| Courier font | Code or program output |